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Indiana, Kentucky apply jointly for construction funding

Construction equipment may be working on bridge projects near Indiana and Kentucky.

Construction equipment may be soon on the move because both Kentucky and Indiana had applied for federal funding for two bridge projects on the Ohio River.

The joint applications from the states seek $120 million for the Milton-Madison and Big Four bridges through the federal government's Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program.

Steve Beshear, governor for Kentucky, said the projects will help encourage economic growth in the area while also attending to "critical commerce needs."

"This kind of collaboration, we believe, is exactly the type of initiative that should be funded for these competitive grants," Beshear said.

The Milton-Madison Bridge was built in 1929 in order to accommodate farm equipment and Model A vehicles. The two states are asking for $95 million in order to replace what they see as an obsolete bridge.

They are also seeking $25 million in order to repair the Big Four Bridge, which will be converted into a pedestrian and bicycle bridge between the riverfront developments of Louisville, Kentucky, and Jeffersonville, Indiana.

In all, $1.5 billion has been made available through the TIGER program. In order to be eligible, project costs must not exceed $300 million.